News from the Reims Committee

– November 2016 –

The group of 30 students and three teachers from Lycee Chagall left on October 26 after a successful visit, including a visit of the White House.

On October 20, Harry Amos, first and former president of the Reims committee commemorated the 95th anniversary of the selection, in France, of the Unknown soldier interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Libby Schollaert, Brinton Rowdybush and Anne-Marie Daris attended the ceremony.

The visit of Philippe Remen and Lydie Gosselet of Reims went well. Philippe Remen participated in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 30. We are very grateful for the hospitality provided by the hosts. A very special thank you to Frederic Cabocel who transported the two visitors all over town.

Discover Reims

Reims is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne region of northern France, located 89 miles east-northeast of Paris. It was originally founded during the period of the Roman Empire. Reims played a very important role in French history, as it was the place where the kings of France were crowned. The most famous and cherished of these events was the coronation of Charles VII in the company of Joan of Arc. Thus, the Cathedral of Reims (damaged by the Germans during the First World War but restored since) played the same role in France as Westminster Abbey did in England. It was there that was kept the Holy Ampulla (Sainte Ampoule) containing the Saint Chrême (chrism), which was said to have been brought by a white dove (the Holy Spirit) at the baptism of Clovis in 496, and was used for the anointing, the most important part of the coronation of French kings. The largest city in the region, Reims is often considered the capital of Champagne, an old province of France, world-famous for its sparkling wine (Champagne). At the 1999 census, there were 187, 206 inhabitants in the city of Reims proper, while there were 291,735 inhabitants in the whole metropolitan area.